For many years mankind has been challenged to harness the force of winds for beneficial purposes, one of the earliest attempts resulting in the production of windmills which date back to ancient times. In the more recent energy crunch, various efforts have been expended in attempting to develop electric energy from the force of winds and a number of prior developments comprise the subject matter of certain U.S. patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,750 to Uzzell, Jr., dated May 13, 1975, in which a Venturi-shaped chamber is mounted for rotation on a support and a fan positioned within the throat of the chamber is driven by wind entering the same, the fan being connected to a generator or the like. Opposite ends of the chamber are flared outwardly in opposite direction.
Prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,079,264 to Cohen, dated Mar. 14, 1978, and 4,164,382 to Mysels, dated Aug. 14, 1979, respectively show segmental type inlet passages which direct incoming air through certain of said passages to a central, rotatable passage-forming means which in one patent is positioned by a sophisticated servo circuit responsive to the direction of the wind and, in the other patent, the passage-forming member is operated by a vane which is acted upon by the wind to maintain the passage-forming means in line therewith. The passage-forming means in both patents contain a fan or propeller member which drives a generator.
In still another prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,840, to Troll, dated Mar. 16, 1976, a conversion system which utilizes wind to generate electric power has a ratio-variable entrance and exit openings, the ratio being set by sensing the velocity of the incoming wind is directed to a vaned impeller mounted on a vertical axis and connected to a flywheel to attempt to steady the operation thereof and drive an electric generator. The present invention generally is directed to a more simple, yet highly efficient mechanism for utilizing wind power to generate electric current, as compared to the more complicated devices of the prior patents and especially those referred to above.